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Outskirts of San Francisco, 2nd of March, 1974
The windows of Daniel's old, blue sedan were covered in thick fog, completely obscuring the scene inside. There were no longer any sounds coming from the interior, the car's engine had long been turned off. An eerie silence settled upon the stretch of gravel road. Tall, dense woods stood ominously along both edges, drenched in darkness. Only the light of a waxing crescent moon and the dim warmth of the sedan's dome light allowed any visibility.
Armand stood amongst a cluster of trees, a mere ten feet away from the driver's side of the car. He'd watched as Daniel had pulled his car to the shoulder of the road and, with hands shaking from a combination of withdrawal and anticipation, grasped the brown paper bag from his passenger seat and unveiled the contents. A ball of white powder wrapped in plastic emerged from the bag, soon joined by the tools Daniel would use to partake in his vice.
Armand had already witnessed Daniel inject himself with, smoke, snort, and inhale a laundry list of drugs by then; he had been following the young man for nearly six months. Armand had learned that Daniel's extracurricular activities usually involved a heavy amount of drug use. This night was no different.
A handful of minutes had passed since Armand had last seen Daniel's figure move through the haze on the glass. A strange urge pulled him toward the vehicle, a feeling akin to worry clinging to him. He moved toward the idle car, his footsteps barely audible.
Armand had spent the evening trailing Daniel's journey. He had begun at a dive bar in a part of the city both he and Louis had become accustomed to. After an hour, Daniel had sniffed out a young, wormy man that had far too many rings and a lack of humility. Armand followed, as he always did, when the two men stepped into the alley on the backside of the building and exchanged services for goods.
He'd perched himself at the edge of the roof and watched the scene beneath him.
Louis had far less interest in the minute details of Daniel's life than Armand did. He was aware that Armand spent long stretches of time watching over the boy, but the reporting Armand gave when he returned home was minimal. Work, drugs, bar hopping, sex, drugs again. The relaying of information was repetitive. Louis knew Armand would involve him if the boy's life became suddenly riveting; this was Armand's game, his chase, and Louis was happy to allow him that if he was allowed his own games in exchange. The agreement was unspoken, but obliged.
Armand's gaze had hovered over Daniel when he'd dropped to his knees in front of the seedy dealer. Out of curiosity, he'd dove into the dealer's mind. He could see the boy kneeling before him, vaguely reminiscent of a similar moment in their past.
Conveniently, the bumbling thoughts of the weaselling man had revealed that the heroin he intended to hand off to Daniel was laced with methamphetamine to offset the price. Enough addicts had walked through he and Louis' doors to know that this combination could be unsafe, especially to an individual that may not have gotten well recently - which Daniel had not.
Stopping short of the car door, Armand attempted to push into Daniel's drug-addled mind. Nothingness spoke back to him. He knew Daniel was alive, he could hear the steady heartbeat reverberating from his chest, no sign of slowing as the moments passed. For some reason, this knowledge settled a deep tension within Armand that he hadn't been aware of.
Armand, falling victim to his own inquisitive nature, focused in on the car's lock and pulled upward. His hand grasped the handle, long fingers wrapped around cold metal, and tugged the door ajar.
Daniel sat with his head back, lolling slightly to the right, with his eyes closed and mouth agape. His breath rattled through him deeply, chest heaving. As the door opened, his left arm fell straight, along the edge of the driver's seat. He began to drift further down, threatening to slip from the driver's seat. Armand, without thinking, caught the comatose boy in his hands.
Warmth passed through him to Armand, life brimming beneath the surface of his skin. It struck Armand that this was the first time he'd touched Daniel since he'd left him at that drug den with Louis. The night after one of the worst weeks of Louis and Armand's relationship.
Armand's eyes roamed over Daniel. An old strip of bandage tape was wrapped around his bicep, tight enough to warp the muscle there, and a needle, syringe still in place, dangled from the inside of his elbow. All of its contents had been emptied into his veins, working their way through his bloodstream. If Daniel's heavy breaths were to give any indication - they were working quickly.
Armand removed the needle from Daniel's arm and untied the bandage, moving through these motions without pondering the actions or his intent. Daniel barely stirred as Armand maneuvered his body back to the seat. He turned him toward the interior of the car, then angled the seat backward into a supine position.
This should be enough, Armand considered as he stepped back from the sleeping boy. If he vomits, he won't suffocate. He will be fine to sleep off the high on his own.
He caught the tiniest movement of Daniel's eyelashes, a fluttering on his cheek.
I should leave.
Hesitation held Armand's feet to the ground.
There was a chance Daniel could move in his slumber, roll onto his back with no awareness of it. Alternatively, another car could drive down this road and find him here, and he'd be defenseless if the other drivers had ill intentions. A bear could become curious and attempt to enter the car, and what could Daniel do, then? Fight a bear?
Armand frowned. He had never been so anxious for the safety of a human. He shouldn't care whether this young, naive reporter would live or die. If anything, Armand had hoped Daniel would find death - this would alleviate any worry he had of Louis' story becoming published.
The realization that Armand may not have that hope anymore flooded him like ice. It twisted inside of him, unsheathing itself from the depths. He wanted this human to live, he wanted to keep this human safe, he wanted this human to suffer for nothing.
This was to stave off the boredom, he concluded. The boy's life was simply entertaining.
Shaking himself from his thoughts, Armand reached for the keys that were hastily thrown on the dashboard. Once at the unlocked passenger side, he tucked the remnants of Daniel's paraphernalia into the glove box, then settled into the frayed, dingy seat.
As he closed the door, Armand finally questioned what he was getting himself into.
How long did he intend to stay? Was this the first of many nights Armand would let his impulses drive his decisions? What should happen if Daniel woke and saw Armand there? Would Armand tell Louis any of this, or would he lie by omission, like he had become so accustomed to?
Most troublesome of all; why was he so drawn to this incorrigible, clever, ill-fated human?
Armand turned his gaze toward Daniel's sleeping frame. He'd placed one arm beneath his head, the other draped over the center console. His hand was resting far too close to Armand's arm. His shirt had ridden up on his abdomen, exposing the band of his jeans and a sliver of pale skin just above. A small amount of dark hair trailed downward, under the zipper. Armand ripped his eyes away to look back toward the slumbering boy's face. His curls had mussed into disarray, falling into his face and trembling like leaves when Daniel breathed.
Before he could think better of it, Armand reached forward and gently slid his fingers through Daniel's hair, pushing the runaway strands back into place. Daniel hummed, leaning into the touch. The movement caught Armand off guard. He froze.
His skin was hot against Armand's. He assumed perhaps the coolness of his own skin on Daniel's was soothing. He cradled his hand around Daniel's jaw, thumb caressing the round of his cheek. Armand remembered holding him similarly on Divisadero - the memory of it churned in his stomach.
He pulled his hand away as he burrowed himself into the seat. He would stay until the sun began to rise, he decided, but he couldn't make a habit of this. Armand couldn't step in and play guard dog in every reckless moment of Daniel's life - there were far too many of those to count.
With a glance at his watch, which stated it was nearly 3 AM, Armand settled in for the remainder of the night. He turned in the seat, pressed his back against the window, and let his gaze fall back to the young man across from him.
Night Island, 14th of October, 1981
Armand had fallen in love with a human.
The realization had not suddenly struck him; he'd sensed the feeling for quite a while. It had simmered in the depths of his chest for years. Perhaps unnoticed, or ignored, at first, but then slowly creeping to the surface each time Armand had allowed himself to get closer to Daniel.
With Daniel resting easily beside him in their bed - their bed, their home, their island - the emotion was overwhelming. Sometimes it felt all-consuming. It bloomed when Daniel flashed a brilliant smile his way, when he was hellbent on finishing an article and couldn't focus on anything else, when he couldn't hold back his sarcastic remarks to any victim within range.
The warmth of Daniel's skin radiated from him, inviting Armand to curl in closer, closer, closer. He wished he could be swallowed up by it, enveloped and trapped within the man's body. The scent of Daniel's skin was enticing, echoing the rich, warm blood running just beneath. Armand watched as Daniel's eyelids fluttered delicately, indicating the REM cycle within his mind. He wouldn't delve into his dreams this time, he would allow Daniel to relay them when he awoke.
There was a new freckle on the tip of Daniel's nose. A small smile crept onto Armand's lips. It must've developed during their walk along the beach, when the sun had been cresting through the clouds. He pressed a kiss, so soft it barely made contact, to Daniel's nose. The responding wrinkle of it made Armand's heart tighten.
Armand had spent countless nights ruminating on the nature of their relationship. He'd pondered for hours on the morality of his actions. He'd given so much time to the same carousel of thoughts: entangling yourself with a human was wrong, was dangerous. His carnal need to covet and protect Daniel could only bring suffering. He was committing the same crimes he'd punished so, so many others for in the past.
How long did he intend to keep this human?
Their time was limited. Daniel knew that, certainly. He had gotten comfortable asking Armand to change him (to kill him, Armand always corrected). The very thought left Armand sick.
He did crave forever with Daniel. This boy, this human, was his. But he would rather be flayed, bled, and burnt alive than become his maker. Simultaneously, he would kill any vampire that attempted to make a fledgling out of him.
Armand pushed his thoughts to the edges of his mind and refocused on the rise and fall of Daniel's chest. He reached out to rest his fingers over his pectorals, just between the peaks, where his limited chest hair grew. The tips of Armand's fingernails traced around the gentle dips and swells of Daniel's torso. He knew every inch of his skin, had memorized it long ago, and he never grew tired of walking himself down the same paths.
Over the years, new additions would appear. Watching Daniel grow and change was a gift, a marvel to behold for Armand. The strength that had developed in his forearms, the wrinkle between his eyebrows, the grey hairs that sprouted along his dark curls and caught the light when he raked a hand through them. Armand would never know how his own body could've transformed; he would forever be in this configuration, eternally trapped within the same young, picturesque physique. He loved and envied the age that showed through Daniel's features.
"My beautiful boy," Armand whispered, settling his hand over Daniel's stomach. He pressed a chaste kiss to his brilliantly freckled shoulder, then another on his collarbone. Daniel's breathing stuttered as goosebumps spread over the skin of his chest. With a wicked grin, Armand continued.
His hand moved to grip Daniel's hip, drawing him nearer, and Armand slipped one of his own legs around Daniel's. He trailed gentle kisses down the side of Daniel's chest only to stop at the slowly hardening nipple at the crest. Armand lapped his tongue around it, slow and taunting, before pulling it into his mouth. He grazed it with his blunt teeth, not yet inviting his fangs to join. Daniel let out a nearly imperceptible whine as his fingers twitched, hand trapped between Armand and his left side.
"Will you wake for me, beloved?" Armand murmured against Daniel's skin. He drew in an intoxicating breath, the scent of Daniel coating the inside of his lungs. "Or will you dream of me exploring and having my way with you?"
His mouth returned to its repetitions, tongue circling Daniel's peaked nipple, as his hand led a path down to the valley of Daniel's hips. Armand drew circles in the delicate skin, drifting towards Daniel's stirring cock, already half-hard. Armand's other arm planted itself above Daniel's head and encapsulated him within Armand's embrace. His fingers carded through Daniel's hair, nails scratching his scalp with the softest touch.
This night, he would be gentle with his lover. Their sex life had been adventurous since the start – Daniel's proclivity to being chased, degraded, and ruined had invigorated a side of Armand that he had never utilized properly. In turn, there were nights when Armand required softness from Daniel and he would give all of himself endlessly.
"I think I may take my time with you tonight," Armand said as he ran a hand over the expanse of Daniel's thighs. "Shall I spread your legs and leave marks along your skin?" He cupped his hands around Daniel's sack, massaging gently. "Perhaps I will open you up for me," Armand hummed, his own dick twitching. "And you will start the day stretched around my cock."
With Armand's persistent whispers and touches, Daniel began to wake. At first only leaning into Armand's soothing hand at the top of his head, then his own fingers began to clench the sheets. His bleary eyes opened and searched for his lover.
Armand's eyes met Daniel's through his lashes, staring up from where he was attached to his nipple. He trapped it between his teeth and tugged.
Daniel sucked in a breath, a lovely upward quirk to his lips, and let his head fall back into Armand's palm. As Armand stayed latched upon Daniel's sensitive bud, he brought his attention back to his left hand drawing closer to Daniel's fully-awakened dick. He had barely ghosted a finger upon Daniel's length before his hips were bucking upward wantonly.
Armand parted from Daniel with a pleased smirk. He let his cool breath wash over Daniel's heated skin.
"So needy," he spoke with a smug lilt. He slid a singular finger from base to tip and watched it jerk in reply. "How responsive your body is for me, my love. Even when you're not aware."
Daniel's stomach muscles tensed and he turned his head to Armand, his eyes casting a meaningless glower.
"Armand," he rasped, still drenched in sleep. His left hand lifted from between their bodies and wrapped its fingers around Armand's forearm, attempting to force his hand to grip around his cock. He knew better than to think he could ever make Armand do anything, but that was a game Armand understood how to play.
"What do you need?" He asked impishly, swirling the fingers of his other hand around Daniel's unruly curls. Daniel let out a pitiful whimper and thrust his hips upward again.
Armand removed Daniel's hand from his arm with the Mind Gift. He pinned both arms to the mattress and listened to Daniel's heart double in its efforts.
Boss, please, Armand picked up once he dipped into Daniel's thoughts, wide open for him to listen.
"With your words, Daniel." He was firm, keeping his gaze focused on Daniel's. He teased Daniel's length with the tip of a fingernail.
"Fuck," Daniel whined. "C'mon."
Armand's hand lifted from Daniel entirely. He held back his laughter as Daniel squirmed. The desperation dripping from him was delicious.
"I am not psychic, my love," Armand taunted. If Daniel had been more awake, there surely would've been a facetious retort as a response. Instead, Daniel only groaned impatiently. "Tell me what you need."
Armand could feel the internal struggle inside of Daniel. His tendency to rebel was strong, he enjoyed playing the part of a brat, but Armand knew better. His boy loved to please.
Armand rolled his hips and let his cock grind against the defined muscle surrounding Daniel's hips. He nuzzled his nose into Daniel's chest, taunting him.
"You," Daniel all but begged. "I need you." He caught Armand's gaze with his own and implored. "Touch me, baby, please."
Armand could not resist his lover's beautiful pleadings.
"Yes, beloved, anything. Anything for you," he crooned, placing kiss after tender kiss on Daniel's chest. He took Daniel's length in hand, gripping and tugging just enough to make Daniel writhe beneath him. He made his way down his body, leaving searing kisses along the way, and found himself settled between two strong, pale thighs. He laid himself along the lower half of their bed and nuzzled into the crease of Daniel's left hip and thigh.
Once more, Armand crept into Daniel's mind. It had become a mere impulse, at this point, to listen to Daniel's inner musings. The ongoing narration of a heedless, insatiably curious menace enraptured Armand.
Oh, god, please, yes, your mouth, an echo of Daniel's voice rattled in Armand's brain. He met Daniel's weary gaze and positioned himself just above where he was encircling Daniel with his hand. He ceased his motions as his lips hovered over the head.
"Say it," Armand demanded. "I want to hear you." He looked up the length of Daniel's chest and saw his boy's worshipful gaze. "Beg for me to suck your cock."
Armand held Daniel's hips in place, not allowing him to seek relief from the movement of his thrust. A blank warmth passed through Daniel's mind, the feeling of pure, unadulterated want. Armand's own cock strained against the sheets.
"Please," Daniel broke, his voice wavering as a waterfall of words left his mouth. "I need it. I need your mouth on me. Please suck my cock, boss, pleasepleasepleaseohfuck–," his words halted as Armand enveloped Daniel's cock into his welcoming mouth.
He moaned in delight at the weight of Daniel on his tongue. He slid his lips forward, taking him further in, the glide becoming easier as he licked around the shaft. Armand's lips spread wide around Daniel's thickness - he was blessed with substantial girth and it made Armand's eyes tinge with red. Daniel's chest was heaving with harsh breaths. He watched Armand swallow him down to the base of his cock and let out a pitiful groan. Armand released his hold on Daniel's arms, allowing him to reach forward and slide his fingers into Armand's curls.
The slender fingers of Armand's right hand found their way to Daniel's balls, tight and hot in his grasp. He massaged them gently as he continued the ministrations of his mouth. His eyes burned into Daniel's, bloody tears collecting at the edges of his lashes. He flattened his tongue and swallowed around Daniel, eliciting a string of curses from his lover. As he tightened his lips around Daniel, pulling upward to focus his efforts on the tip, his fangs descended around the swollen head.
Daniel gasped, his grip on Armand's hair tightening, but restrained himself from bucking up into his mouth. He thrashed his head backward in sheer effort, eyes shut tight.
No, Daniel, Armand pressed into Daniel's mind. Eyes on me.
After a moment, and a shuddering breath, Daniel turned back to meet Armand's unwavering gaze. A shiver ran through him. Armand's hips rotated forward, seeking relief for his own dick in the silk sheets.
Good boy.
Daniel whimpered and it made Armand's heart clench. Oh, how he adored his sweet, fascinating boy.
Armand licked around the tip of Daniel's cock, his fangs threatening to slice the skin every time he would wrap his lips around him. The danger of it drove Daniel wild, Armand knew this. He brought his hand up to grip the shaft, the spit gathered at the base enough to ease the slide of his fingers. He sucked around the plump head, his hand jerking in tandem with his own hips as he ground into the mattress.
Daniel could see Armand's movements, his hips rocking in time with his hand, getting himself off while his mouth stayed wrapped around Daniel's hardened length. When Armand peaked into Daniel's mind, he only saw himself, everything else blurred around him - as if the focus on the lens of a camera had been zoomed in on Armand.
Within the span of a few strokes, Daniel was quivering beneath Armand, the loveliest moans leaving his lips. Armand ran his tongue around the head, then let one fang graze gently at the edge. Only enough to nick the skin. A bead of decadent blood pooled and Armand sucked at it ravenously.
Daniel came with a shocked gasp. Spurts of come covered Armand's face, all the way to his hair, as he latched onto the small cut he'd inflicted.
He moaned, consumed by lust and bloodlust in kind, and thrust his own cock into the smooth slide of silk sheets. The taste of Daniel's blood on his tongue and the wondrous, dreamy ramblings within Daniel's mind - ArmandArmandloveArmandsogoodArmandloveArmand - was enough to throw him off the edge. His hips stuttered as he came; blood red come on vibrant purple sheets, a helpless moan muffled by Daniel's spent cock.
For a moment, they lay there, with Armand's head resting against Daniel's thigh and Daniel's fingers tangling themselves in the curls at the base of Armand's neck. Armand placed the tip of his own finger against a fang, cutting the skin, and then pressed the pad onto the tip of Daniel's softening dick. The miniscule laceration vanished beneath.
Armand felt Daniel move before he spoke, just a slight stretch, as if he were straining to search for something.
"Well, I'd say good morning," Daniel said, sounding much more awake, "but it's only 3:15." He caressed Armand's scalp with gentle fingers. Armand hummed in response.
"Yes," he murmured in agreement, "I apologize for waking you. I could not help myself." A smile spread across his lips as he peeked up at Daniel, curls falling into his face. The tendrils stuck to his skin and reminded him of the mess that had been made upon his cheeks and forehead. He placed a kiss on the inside of Daniel's thigh before he sat up. "I'll be right back."
Once returned from the en-suite bathroom, face freshly washed and hair as clean as it could get from the sink, Armand stopped at the edge of the bed.
Daniel had closed his eyes and his breathing had become heavy and even. Asleep, again, in such little time. Armand stood there, taking in the visage of his boy. His lover. His Daniel.
I would not survive losing you, Armand thought. You will be the end of me.
Carefully, so as not to wake Daniel, Armand crawled back onto their bed and fell into place next to him. He tucked himself into Daniel's side, an arm draping over him to keep him close. He closed his own eyes. He would try to get some rest.
London, 10th of April, 2003
Countless nights had come to the same conclusion; with Armand, outside of a window, gaze trained on one solid outline behind the glass, and Daniel, tossing restlessly in slumber. Sometimes in an unfamiliar hotel bed, sometimes in his own unkempt bedroom, always completely unaware of the ominous figure nearby.
Nearly thirty years had passed since he and Daniel had slept in the same bed. The crushing weight of that knowledge hadn't faded, but it had become easier to suppress. Armand could pretend, some nights, that he and Daniel were living life side-by-side again. There were nights when Armand would find himself unlocking the windows he peered into, if only just to breathe in the same air.
In some projected alternate reality, one that Armand rarely allowed himself to imagine, the two were wrapped in each other's limbs, the sunrise peeking through windows that showcased their magnificent view of the ocean.
For the sake of his sanity, and the companionship he clung to, Armand could not remain in these fantasies. He would force himself to live within the present, where Daniel did not know anything of him and Armand could only watch him from afar.
Never too far, though - at times, too close. Those instances only happened when Armand felt an indignant pull, like a thread tied directly to Daniel that tugged until it was too strong to fight against. The guilt Armand endured after was immense. He did not tell Louis of these weak moments.
Armand would portray different characters throughout Daniel's life just to garner a chance to speak with him. A chance to lightly brush against his back. A chance to steal away to a closet, or bathroom stall, or car in a parking garage. It always ended with Armand blending and scrambling Daniel's memory; disguising his face, replacing himself with another. It never sated any longing within Armand. The nagging vice on his heart dragged him back to his boy with double the strength.
Armand's fingers fidgeted with the sleeve of his jacket. The warmth of Spring was beginning to show itself. Flowers planted along the hotel balcony were budding, close to blooming.
The hotel Daniel's assistant had booked for him was adequate. The building was old, but refurbished within the last ten years. It sat against the skyline of London, a small fixture amongst giants. Daniel's room was on the ninth floor of fifteen, a corner suite. It gave Armand ample space to lounge as he settled into his station for the evening.
A large pane of glass separated Armand from Daniel. He could hear his heartbeat drumming gently inside of his ribs. An answering pull teased Armand's own chest.
He watched Daniel's ribcage expand, the rise and fall. The motion mesmerized him. He lost himself in the motion. The duvet had settled around his hips, allowing Armand an unobscured view of his upper body. This evening, Daniel had worn a heather grey tee to sleep - the grey was close in shade to the endearingly greying hair atop his head. His arms laid out beside him to each side; the strength that had begun to show itself in the muscles of his forearms and biceps made Armand's mouth water. His boy had always been strong, stronger than he looked, but seeing the evidence of it was decadent to behold.
An ambulance's siren blared down the street, lights flashing, and ripped Armand from his reverie. Daniel would not wake from the noise, he was far too jet lagged to be brought out of his sleep. Still, Armand pressed his body closer to the outer wall, bathing himself in darkness, as he kept his eyes trained on Daniel's face.
Delicate lines had begun to etch themselves into his skin; lines that indicated worry, or happiness, or focus. The wonderful evidence of his life. Armand ached to follow each one with his fingers, to memorize them entirely.
Accepting the absence of Daniel in his life was torturous in these quiet moments. It was something Armand did willingly; he'd brought this punishment upon himself, allowed himself to become attached to Daniel. He had intertwined their lives selfishly. Their division, and the erasure of that attachment, had to be done. For their safety, for Daniel's safety.
Armand would watch Daniel live his life without Armand in it. He would watch his sweet boy achieve his dreams, make his mistakes, celebrate his achievements. Armand would play witness and mourn the ways he would've stood beside Daniel in those moments; he would stand in the shadow of him, instead. He would persist in the suffering, because Armand simultaneously deserved the flagellation and craved the cause of it.
Drops of rain caught on the shoulders of Armand's jacket, tiny beads gathering along the wool. When he glanced upward, heavy clouds began to drift in from the Eastern sky, covering the stars in a haze.
Daniel's lips parted as he took in a heavy breath. Even in the low light, those lips were a lovely, deep shade of pink. Armand still, after three decades, remembered the feeling of them. He could still remember the taste. He imagined Daniel would never stop tasting like cigarettes and Vermouth.
Armand held back the memories that attempted to flood forth. He would not reminisce tonight. He was needed back by Louis' side in the next two hours. His night would be cut shorter than he'd like, but this was the eternity he'd agreed to. His presence was required with Louis, even when neither of them wanted that to be.
Their companionship had become exceedingly complicated. He loved Louis, he had no doubt of this, but that love had been broken and reformed many times through the years together. The desperation to temper their combined loneliness was far stronger than any fight, or grudge, or wandering hand.
Heavier droplets had begun to pour down from the sky. It seemed the weather was urging Armand to cut the night short, as well.
With a wistful sigh, Armand stepped forward from the shadows, inching closer to the window. Daniel's frame had shifted, now settled with his stomach down and face pressed to the pillows. His arm stretched over the opposite side of the bed, as if reaching for another. Armand ignored the emotion gathering along the lower lid of his eyes.
Armand's feet lifted from the stone flooring. He would go home to his companion, and then this dreadful cycle would repeat.
Dubai, 19th of August, 2022
The apartment was quiet at night. The servants had gone home for the evening and Louis was perched in a sofa chair with one of the countless books that Armand had lined their hanging bookshelves with - this choice had been done to motivate Louis, to entice him as he pursued learning the Cloud Gift. He was yet to master this skill, only able to lift from the floor for mere moments before gravity pulled him back down, but Armand had faith. Louis was formidable.
After Armand had retrieved the novels Louis had requested, he'd relinquished himself to the corner of their sitting room. He sat with one leg crossed over the opposite knee, book resting in his delicate hands. His brilliant gaze traced the words along the page.
Armand watched him for a few moments; his dreadfully beautiful companion. He would be preoccupied with the yellowed pages and his own ruminations for the next four hours, at least.
I will be watching over the boy, Armand acquiesced. Louis did not reply.
With silent movements, and iPad in hand, Armand found himself inside of Daniel's guest room. The door slid closed behind him as his eyes drifted to the man curled up beneath two layers of blankets. Armand carried himself to a chair set beside the full-length mirror, then pulled one leg beneath him, the other bent upward, knee to his chest. He balanced his tablet on the wide arm of the sofa chair but did not unlock it.
Daniel had become frail within the last few years. After he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's, and then the pandemic that occurred, he'd holed himself away in the confines of his Brooklyn apartment. He spent many days in front of the television, or becoming frustrated while attempting to write at his laptop, or staring at the same pages of a book - clearly not reading, but deep in thought. He'd attempted to stay active, the expensive treadmill he'd purchased proof of that, but there was little he could do to stop the progress of aging.
Armand felt tightening in the depths of his chest. His beautiful boy was dying. Perhaps not soon, perhaps slowly (as this disease often did), but there was no escape from it. A death sentence had been bestowed upon his beloved.
This was not new knowledge to Armand, this was the precise reason he'd manipulated - though he preferred persuaded - Louis to invite Daniel into their home. He would not lose this, what he had coveted. Louis would provide the escape from death Daniel needed, the escape that he had begged and begged and begged for so long ago. Armand would have his fascinating boy eternally.
A shuddering breath ran through Daniel's chest, then a light snore as he brought air back into his lungs. Armand's lips quirked upward into a small smile.
The room was dark, no light but the dim red numbers of an alarm clock atop the bedside table. Blackout curtains lined the windows, covering the glass that had already been adorned with the same controlled tinting as the other glass panes throughout their home. Daniel's bed sat in the center of the space, a table at each side. They were both littered with his belongings; his glasses sans case, his watch, an empty glass of what had presumably been water, a few bottles of pills, his phone, and a well-loved notepad with a pen laid on its cover.
Armand watched the dark grey blankets ripple as Daniel shifted underneath. He turned onto his side with a sigh. His arm grasped the pillow beneath him, crushing it close to his chest. The loosened grey curls on his head fanned out above him, inviting Armand to rake his claws through them.
The visions flooded Armand without warning: thoughts of laying behind Daniel, holding him tight to his own chest, pressing his nose into the crown of Daniel's hair. The scent would drive him mad, causing Armand's hand to drift lower, careening down the planes of Daniel's chest and stomach until it reached its destination. Needy whimpers would fall from Daniel's plush lips and Armand would –
Armand shook himself from his reverie. His fingers, his chest, his fangs ached from longing. He could not fall into memories, as enticing as they were. With a steadying breath, Armand dragged his gaze to his iPad and unlocked the screen. He opened an app - a game that would numb his mind with meaningless tasks and time-consuming quests - and began to tap his fingers along the protected glass.
A handful of hours passed like that; Daniel, restlessly resting as he tossed and turned in his sleep, and Armand, constantly pulling his attention back to the simulation game after his eyes would return to Daniel again and again. He had imagined a life like this. A simple life where Armand would watch over Daniel in a bedroom that was theirs, instead of the life he'd designed for himself, wherein he lurked in shadows just to be near him. That life had once been within reach, but it had been a fantasy, then. A fantasy that Daniel was willing to give up everything for and Armand could not.
Daniel seemed to finally settle into a deep slumber, his breathing coming in heavy sighs. His hand was upturned, arm and wrist outstretched. Before Armand knew he was moving, he'd crouched next to the side of the bed, gaze trained on the prominent veins under Daniel's skin. His iPad was left downturned on the chair's seat, light bleeding from beneath.
Fangs fell from Armand's gums, a gentle throb echoing Daniel's pulse. It had been so long since he'd tasted Daniel's intoxicating blood. Intense hunger clenched Armand's gut as his mouth began to water. He ghosted the tip of his finger over the center of Daniel's wrist. His heartbeat sounded like a pounding to Armand's ears.
Delicately, Armand unfurled Daniel's fingers. They had become calloused from decades of writing, holding pens and typing alike. The lines of his palm remained the same - a deep line around the muscle of his thumb, a curve swooping up to his index finger, tiny indentations that spread and nearly disappeared as Armand stretched open his hand. Though aged, these were the hands that belonged to the boy Armand fell in love with.
With no thought but that of his beloved, he laid his cheek in the palm of his boy's hand and inhaled the scent emanating from him. Warmth spread through Armand from his face to his chest. A shiver coursed down Armand's spine. It had been so, so long since he'd allowed himself this closeness with Daniel. It brought him to his knees. His legs fell carelessly to the floor, a meek thump resounding from it.
Daniel's lashes fluttered against his cheek as he shuddered in his sleep. His fingers began to twitch along Armand's skin.
Within a moment, Armand had ripped himself away from Daniel's touch and fled to the corner of the guest bedroom, dowsed in shadow. He was being reckless. Foolish.
After waiting for Daniel's steady breathing to resume, Armand reached for the forsaken tablet and gathered himself. He crept toward the door and stepped out into the expansive hallway beyond.
"How is he?" Louis spoke, just a hair above a whisper, without looking in Armand's direction. He hadn't moved the entire time Armand had been in the guest room.
"Sleeping soundly," Armand lied easily. He drifted into the chair beside Louis and crossed one elegant leg over the other. "Like the dead." He chanced a glance in Louis' direction. Louis' mouth upturned into a smirk as he finally brought his eyes up to meet Armand's.
"So, he's got a head-start," Louis joked, his eyes returning to the page in front of him. Armand hummed in response and opened the simulation game once more.
Somewhere in Michigan, 11th of July, 2025
Lestat should hire more security.
In the confined space of a haphazardly built-in closet, Armand sat upon an abandoned suitcase that had been shoved in carelessly. The door - if a dingy panel of plywood could be constituted as a door - was cracked, allowing Armand to keep his eyes trained on one specific spot outside of his makeshift burrow.
The gentle jostling of the band's tour bus vibrated through the floor. No sunlight crept through the windows in the small room. It seemed as though it had been wrapped in black, plastic trash bags to keep any light out - an abysmal excuse for sleeping arrangements. But, then again, the entire bus was an abysmal living space; every wall was covered in graffiti, drug paraphernalia littered every surface, and the stench of humanity bled into every porous material.
It had been far too easy to enter the bus inconspicuously. This did not sit well with Armand - if he was able to sneak his way on without even one witness, what would stop another with far more nefarious goals?
Of course, the individuals that cohabitated on this bus were either arrogant or ignorant when it came to the danger that circled them. Armand didn't have particular faith in any of the humans - an unwashed, dubious rock band, a tightly-wound manager, and several willing blood bags stuffed with narcotics and hallucinogenics on a nightly basis - and his vampiric peers weren't much better. Lestat was blinded by the thrill of the stage that he had returned to. He was simultaneously unraveling (that much was apparent to Armand, though he was unsure of the catalyst). Gabriella ran at any opportunity that presented itself to her, driven by an insatiable wanderlust. And then there was Daniel.
Daniel.
Armand's eyes swept over the unmoving form tucked into a sleeping bag. He did not breathe in this sleep, there was no repetitive rise and fall of his chest. Every movement had ceased, still in his hibernation.
His fledgling. His one and only.
Two years had passed since his turning. Those last moments together were tucked neatly into a tight box that Armand refused to open. If there was one skill that Armand had learned to perfect in his 517 years, it was compartmentalization.
But Armand had followed Daniel, as he always had before. The nature of it had changed, due to the inability to delve into Daniel's thoughts. That was still torturous. It was exactly what Armand had been attempting to plan against. The comfort that came from the inner workings of Daniel's mind had been ripped from him, never returning. All that ever came from Armand's concentration was silence. The only solace he'd discovered was the intensity of their bond.
Armand's bond with his own maker was complex, as was his feelings toward him. That connection would never be severed, no matter how much Armand wished for it. Armand had witnessed enough fledglings with their makers (his previous companion included) to understand that these bonds were tight, regardless of the emotions entangled in them.
But that string tying Armand to Daniel… It was like nothing else he'd ever experienced. Nothing he'd ever heard or saw was comparable to it. His peers had shared what their ties were like and none of it came close to what had begun to transpire between Armand and Daniel.
Armand started to notice the changes within him almost immediately, but he was unable to pinpoint the cause for months. He had kept his distance from his fledgling, his fear overwhelming - Daniel hated him, he would never forgive him, he would rather Armand dead than anywhere near him.
He would be lying if he hadn't felt a tiny glimmer of hope beneath all of his fear.
Then, through the haze of his own swirling anxiety, came anger. Intense, burning anger. It twisted around his chest and strangled his heart.
Confusion bloomed. That feeling was fleeting just as quickly as it had arisen. Suddenly, a grip so tight it nearly brought Armand to the ground, pulled on the very depths of his being. If Armand could pinpoint where his soul - if he truly had one - was, he would imagine it there, with a clenched fist wrapped around it.
With nothing to lose, he'd followed the pull. When the tug began to subside, Armand found himself in a familiar alleyway off of a street in Brooklyn. He'd been there before, had traversed through it many nights when he'd become Daniel's shadow. It was just a mere two blocks away from Daniel's apartment.
And there Daniel had stood, his silhouette darkened by the lamp post casting light behind him. He'd found himself a meal for the night but had carelessly tossed him into a pile of garbage bags. He was making no move to cover the evidence of his attack.
"Fuck," Daniel breathed out. The rush Armand had felt from hearing Daniel's voice after so many months was immense. Daniel fell into a crouch, his face falling into his hands. Through his fingers, Armand could hear his sullen voice. "I can't fucking do this. God damn it. Ar–" he cut himself off. His clenched fist hit the rough pavement beneath his scuffed boots.
"I fucking need you," he begged into the air, like he'd known Armand was somehow listening. "I hate you, but I– I can't do this on my own." An aching grew inside of Armand, his body racked with longing and disdain.
"Please –" had been the last thing Daniel whispered before, in a moment, the world went quiet. Daniel looked toward the end of the alley. From the fire escape Armand was perched on, he turned toward the stretch of street beyond the building. He could no longer sense any living being that had been going through the motions of their daily lives. No heartbeats, no voices, no thoughts. Silence.
Except for Daniel.
"What the hell?" Daniel stood straight. A twinge of panic pierced Armand from the inside out, not his own.
Armand had held himself deathly still, eyes trained on Daniel's frantic movements. The young vampire ran to the edge of the alleyway just beneath Armand's feet.
After an endless moment, Daniel hissed, long fangs bared to the night. Dreadful and beautiful. Pride had swelled in Armand's chest. His fledgling.
"I can feel you," Daniel barked. "Where are you?" The pain had been evident in his voice. "Stop hiding from me!"
Then, just as suddenly as it had gone, the world had returned with a blast of sound. Dogs howling at each other through apartment windows, vehicles honking at other drivers, distant laughter and music from a bar down the street.
Curious.
He had never seen such a thing. A gift to make the world vanish and return was unheard of. Had Daniel experienced it as well, or had Armand finally begun to succumb to vampiric madness?
Daniel had not seen Armand hiding in the shadows above him. He would not see him for the next two years.
The tour bus heaved and rumbled as it drove over a cluster of potholes, bringing Armand back to his current surroundings. Daniel's sleeping bag was tossed around so harshly that Armand was sure it would wake him, but Daniel did not move after the swaying of the bus settled.
He would approach his fledgling face-to-face soon. Many months of ruminating had brought Armand here, onto Lestat's tour bus. There were many plans Armand was enacting, but only one held singularly to his thoughts. He would offer himself to Daniel; as maker, as cohort, as lover - whatever he desired. Perhaps he desired nothing from Armand, that was a probable conclusion, but Armand would never know if he never tried.
And again, that glimmer of hope made itself known.
New York, 14th of November, 2025
Two weeks flew by when there was an Apocalypse under way. Daniel had woken early from his sleep, eyes blinking up at the underside of a coffin lid. It was rare that he opened his eyes before Armand - he'd gotten used to seeing two blazing irises of orange first thing in the evening.
Turning, as gently as he could, onto his side, he came face to face with a peacefully slumbering Armand. He'd never seen him look so relaxed, without any tension among his features. His lips were slightly parted. Daniel's undead body warmed at the thought of Armand finding some kind of solace in his dreams.
It had been the longest few months of Daniel's life – well, afterlife. Once Armand had made himself known while Daniel was on tour with Lestat, things had progressed rapidly. Releasing the revenge porno of Lestat and Gabriella, sunwalking and mind-fucking lessons, preparing for the world's worst Halloween double-date, and, what had been the hardest of all, working through his buried memories.
Through August to November, he'd been able to pull together a handful of them from the depths of fuck-knows-where. Sometimes they surfaced easily, just from proximity to Armand.
He could recall a night when he'd been smoking a cigarette, staring out of their hotel room window, while Armand tapped feverishly at his tablet. They'd been in Montréal, shacked up in a La Quinta.
It had been as if the sound of Armand's nails had strummed against a chord inside of him, because he was suddenly thrown into a similar scene: staring out of a window at an ocean, aware of Armand next to him, and he seemed irritated, maybe? He had tapped the balcony with his fingernails anxiously, the same sound that was being produced by Armand in that moment.
It was then that Daniel had finally believed Armand. Up until that point, he'd convinced himself he would only stick around until he'd learned what Armand had promised to show him. He'd take what he could from his deadbeat maker (who claimed to be in love with him, for fuck's sake) and hit the road. And then it became a little too real for Daniel.
"You weren't lying." Daniel had stared at Armand in shock. Armand just nodded once, nonchalant.
"I am attempting to be more honest in my relationships," he'd said, and Daniel could've sworn there was a smirk hiding in the corner of his mouth.
"You've gotta be shitting me."
The weight of the realization had hit Daniel like a freight train. He had been so, so angry. Years - years - of his life, erased, or buried, or whatever the fuck happened to memories when someone messed around with them. They were gone.
"This is a good sign, Daniel," Armand had implored him. "I had been fearful that you'd never recover any memory of –," he'd hesitated. "Of us. But this may mean they will return with time."
"Fuck," Daniel had sighed, falling onto the musty hotel bed. "I need a minute."
And Armand had given him that, he'd given him more than enough time and space to figure out the onslaught of emotions he was dealing with. They worked around it until Daniel had been ready to confront it. Then Armand was there, willing and ready to answer every burning question inside of Daniel's spiralling mind.
Reconciling with the fact that Daniel had loved - and continued to love - Armand was an easier task than he'd anticipated. It was as if every motivation, every choice, every impulse he'd ever had had been influenced by that ever-present, all-encompassing love. The constant confusion that had been persistent in the back of his mind finally subsided. It all slowly began to fall into place.
Daniel settled his head on the arm that rested above their heads, gaze travelling over Armand's features. His curls had grown long during their sleep, returning to their original length, and a cluster of them fell into his face. Even in the darkness of the coffin, Daniel was hypnotized by the rich russet tones of Armand's skin. His arm was draped over Daniel's waist and their legs intertwined.
They were boarding up in Daniel's apartment for the time being, which meant sharing his one-person coffin. Things looked bleak, but Armand had quickly begun working on something as soon as Lestat's concert had finished. Daniel wasn't privy to what the next plan was, but he was, surprisingly, okay with that. He trusted Armand.
His maker didn't require as much sleep as Daniel did. His age allowed him to store the energy and run for days on end without resting - or so that's what he told Daniel, and who was Daniel to question it? It wasn't like Louis had divulged much about the differences in sleeping habits of fledglings versus elders.
But, because of this, Daniel rarely had the pleasure of these moments. He knew Armand was inclined to watch him sleep, the little weirdo, so it was a treat to be the pervert, for once.
He reached up and pushed a stray curl back, fingertips sliding through lush black hair. His maker really was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. Striking and terrifying. Daniel was lucky.
Rekindling their physical intimacy had happened far faster than either of them had anticipated. Armand had told him he'd been prepared to live out the remainder of his life never acting upon his desires, which Daniel thought was insane(ly romantic). Once Daniel had begun remembering steamy moments that seemed to only become more and more intense as they surfaced, it was like a dam had broken. Scenes of the two of them in every position, in countless beds, occasionally with others but mostly just the two of them, doing things that Daniel had thought he'd only ever masturbated to - it bubbled up until Daniel felt as though he'd go into a frenzy.
So, they were finding their way back. Daniel continued to have complicated feelings about Armand and their past, but Armand was only ever patient. It would be a lie to say that Daniel didn't have anger still simmering beneath the surface, but he knew enough about anger to understand that it was an emotion that shadowed over other, deeper emotions. The anger was just a smokescreen for the betrayed, abandoned feelings that churned inside of him.
He'd already forgiven Armand for everything. He might not have told him that yet, but there was no grudge Daniel kept. It sometimes seemed like there was no transgression Armand could commit against Daniel that he wouldn't forgive.
Armand didn't stir when Daniel caressed the soft hair covering his arm, aimlessly fidgeting as he gazed upon his maker. His maker, only his. No one else would ever be able to experience the bond that he and Armand shared.
Learning that that bond wasn't common - practically unheard of - had been an ego boost for Daniel, he couldn't lie. Apparently, not every maker and fledgling experienced the Rapture when they were near each other. Go figure.
Beyond that oddity, Daniel was struck with how clearly Armand's feelings passed through to him. Perhaps that'd been one of the reasons it'd been so easy to fall into this; how the hell was he going to be able to resist it when Armand's adoration poured into him like a biblical flood? After every passing glance, every accidental touch, every time Daniel made some dumbass joke; a wave of pride, and love, and apprehension would crash over him.
And then Daniel would catch himself smiling fondly at his maker without intending to. Armand would restlessly fidget with his fingers, the rest of his body as still as a statue, and Daniel would reach over to settle him. There were nights when Armand would devour his way through a book - usually some historic non-fiction that Daniel couldn't be fucked to remember - and the excited, intense look in Armand's eyes as he would look up to relay new information could make Daniel's cheeks flush with borrowed blood.
Daniel grasped Armand's hand from his waist and brought it up to his lips. He pressed a kiss to his fingers, his palm, the back of his hand where the skin was softest. He'd never known love could be like this. Bruising, crushing, devastating, and the most tender thing he'd felt in his life.
Armand's lashes fluttered against his cheek, slowly revealing the warm amber beneath. With sleep still in his eyes, he met Daniel's gaze, and smiled.
"Beloved," he murmured, voice crackly. He burrowed deeper into Daniel, tucking himself under Daniel's chin, and heaved out a satisfied sigh. The scent of Armand's leave-in conditioner rose to Daniel's nose, a symphony of saffron, sandalwood, and vanilla. Armand entangled his fingers with Daniel's and brought them to his chest, pressed between both of them.
"You're pretty cute when you wake up."
Armand grumbled, the sound muffled by Daniel's chest. He ran his free hand through Armand's hair, fingernails grazing over his scalp. A delighted hum rattled through Armand as a bolt of pure contentment traveled through their bond.
"Were you watching me sleep, Daniel?" Even without being able to see him, Daniel could hear the smirk in Armand's voice.
"Like you've got any right to be judgy," Daniel rolled his eyes. "As if you didn't spend half a century staring at me through windows."
"Not just through windows," Armand tilted his head up, mischief in his eyes. "Outside of your hotel rooms… In your car, in that disgusting tour bus, in your room in Dubai –"
"I knew that was you."
Armand placed a finger on Daniel's lips. "In our bed, waiting for the sun to rise." Daniel felt a pulse of admiration, then lust. He wasn't sure if it was Armand's or his own.
"See? You've always been a creep," Daniel teased, though his tone betrayed his fondness.
"Mm. You like it," Armand whispered, an uncertain shyness displayed on his features.
"Yeah. I do." Daniel pressed a kiss to Armand's forehead, one to his cheek, then another to his lips. "I think that makes me a creep, too."
Grinning wickedly, Armand raised himself up on his elbow, hovering over Daniel as his eyes roamed. "Probably."
Before Daniel could react, Armand was pressing his mouth to Daniel's jawline, then trailing down to latch himself to the frantic pulse point along his neck. He grazed his teeth against Daniel's weathered skin, the pinpoints of Armand's fangs teasing the veins beneath. Unable to stop himself, Daniel's own fangs protruded from his gums, a deep want surging through him. His hand tightened around Armand's, drawing his body closer until Armand was nearly on top of him.
Armand tugged their twined fingers above Daniel's head, pinning it against the plush inner lining of the coffin. Daniel tightened his other hand in Armand's hair.
"You've always been so needy for me," Armand mused against Daniel's throat. In response, Daniel ground his thigh up into Armand, feeling the hardness he had known would be there. He smirked when Armand let out a fractured moan.
"I don't think I'm the only needy one here, boss," he taunted against Armand's ear. Pulling back from Daniel's willing neck, he zeroed in his gaze, like a predator setting his sights on his prey. Daniel's cock twitched where it was trapped between their bodies.
"Oh, my love," Armand whispered, "you cannot begin to know the depths of how desperately I need you." He released Daniel's hand, as he brought his own to caress Daniel's face. His thumb traced the roundness of Daniel's cheekbone. "How I crave you."
Daniel knew his cheeks would have been flaming bright pink if he'd fed. His undead heart pounded in his ribcage.
No one had ever spoken to him the way Armand did - no one had likely even thought of him the way Armand did. Romance had never come easy to Daniel, he was terrible at dating and even worse at marriage. With Armand, it came naturally. He was like a lead in some rom-com, constantly swept off his feet by a look or a brief touch. The professing words that fell from Armand's lips had Daniel swooning.
Daniel surged forward to capture Armand's lips with his own. He dropped his other hand to Armand's waist, dipping under the waistband to satiate his need to touch. Their fangs clashed, Daniel's nicking Armand's delicate lower lip. Armand's blood bloomed between their mouths, causing a chill to rattle through Daniel. He sucked Armand's lip into his mouth, feeding from the cut before it healed itself. Armand let out a soft whimper, hips jutting forward into Daniel's.
"We shouldn't have gone to bed with our clothes on," Daniel huffed when he reluctantly separated himself. He tugged at the hem of the band tee - his band tee - covering Armand's torso.
With a pleased chuckle, Armand reached for the handle on the inside of the coffin lid. He pushed it open easily and sat up beside Daniel, removing the offending item of clothing. A moonbeam came through the sheer curtains over the window, casting cool light over them. Armand was drenched in an eerie luminescence, the only warmth coming from his bright stare. The planes of his chest rose and fell with unneeded breath. Shadows danced over his muscles.
Eagerly, Daniel pulled his own shirt over his head, then rushed forward to grapple at Armand's pajama bottoms. Once they'd rid themselves of their clothing, Armand set to straddle himself over Daniel's waist. Their hardened cocks brushed together as he leaned in toward Daniel to resume their interrupted kiss.
Daniel's hands roamed down Armand's sides, moving to grip the soft and tender muscle at his hips. They ground their cocks together, rubbing and sliding against one another. A pleased sigh fell from Armand's lips, cascading over Daniel.
Daniel could feel and smell the bloody pre-come from Armand's dick, the wetness easing their movements. His right hand wandered farther along Armand's backside, fingers separating the cheeks and gliding over Armand's puckering hole.
Armand arched into the touch, grasping each side of Daniel's face and devouring his lips.
"Lube," Daniel managed to get out between kisses. Without faltering, Armand brought Daniel's wrist to his mouth and bit down. A harsh gasp fell from Daniel's lips as Armand gathered the blood dripping from Daniel's skin and began to slip his own fingers inside of himself. "Fuck, babe –" Daniel stuttered, gaping up at his maker. "That works, too."
Armand grinned, Daniel's blood staining his teeth. Daniel's exquisitely monstrous lover.
Armand continued to open himself on his blood-soaked fingers and Daniel placed his own bloodied hand around their dicks. He stroked languidly, watching the minute changes on Armand's face. Red covered them, the slick feeling making Daniel tighten his hold. Armand's slightly colder skin began to warm against Daniel's.
A whine, hitting Daniel's eardrums like a melody, rang from Armand's lips as he slid a third finger into his stretched hole. Daniel brought his hand to his own mouth and licked up his palm, the combination of his blood and Armand's pre-come exploding on his tongue. Armand's gaze became crazed as he watched him.
Moving with vampire quickness, Armand lifted his hips above Daniel's waist and wrapped a hand around the base of Daniel's cock. Sticky, dark blood covered him, glistening in the moonlight. Armand positioned the head at his entrance and then, without pretense, burrowed Daniel's cock deep inside of him.
"Oh, sh–," Daniel groaned, the tightness swallowing him. Armand didn't let him finish, just pulled him up by the hair on his nape and attacked Daniel's neck with fervor. His modest fangs sliced through the skin and he began to drink. Daniel's hands clamped onto Armand's hips, holding him still to keep himself from coming too quickly.
There was nothing like the feeling of his maker drinking from him. Partaking in the blood was always intimate, even when draining humans, but there was something deeper that sang when Armand took from his fledgling. Daniel could only describe it in the ways he knew how; it was akin to getting cross-faded while free-falling on a roller coaster. Everything became weightless, but he was warm, and sated, and enveloped in their bond. It bloomed around them like an aura, suffocating and liberating.
In their seated position, Armand waited for Daniel to release his hips before beginning to grind down in a slow, rotating motion. Daniel wrapped his arms around Armand's middle, meeting the movement as if he were letting Armand lead them in a dance.
Armand retreated from Daniel's neck, only a single drop of blood sliding down his chin as he met Daniel's eyes. He wiped the blood with his thumb and, once Daniel opened his mouth, pressed it onto Daniel's tongue and stared as Daniel sucked the digit clean.
"My beautiful boy." Pride coursed through their bond and Daniel preened, his cock pulsing inside of Armand. An adoring smile lifted Armand's lips as he ran his opposite hand through Daniel's hair.
Daniel nodded, arching into his maker's petting. Armand's gyrating hips moved up and down on him, the length of Daniel's cock gliding easily with the slickness of his blood. God, they were using his fucking blood as lube. He pumped into Armand harder, like there was a way he could be swallowed into him whole.
"Yours," Daniel whimpered, releasing Armand's thumb. "Only yours."
Armand responded with a noise somewhere between a hiss and a moan. He clutched Daniel's head in his hands and pressed their foreheads together, lips so close Daniel could feel the cool breath on his cheeks. His ass gripped Daniel's cock like a vice as he rode him.
"I've waited so long," he said, barely audible. "Endured endless nights. Wasted years. Ached with loneliness." Each sentence punctuated a roll of his hips, driving Daniel mad. His arms tightened around Armand, only able to follow the desperate motions. "It has all been worth it. For you. My beloved."
Unadulterated love flowered from Daniel's chest. He caught Armand's lips in a searing kiss.
Their tangled bodies moved together in a frenzied state, hands attempting to touch every inch of the other in a single moment. Daniel shoved his hand between their torsos, fingers clasping over Armand's neglected cock. Armand surged into the touch, pumping into Daniel's fist as Daniel's cock thrust into him.
"Come for me, babe," Daniel pleaded as he watched Armand begin to unravel. "Let me make you feel good."
As Armand hurdled over the edge of his orgasm, his eyes wrenched closed, head thrown back as he displayed the elegant expanse of his throat for Daniel. Needing no explicit invitation, Daniel seized the vein running along Armand's neck and sliced it open.
Blood flowed over Daniel's tongue, tangy and rich and everything Daniel could ever want. He could feel Armand's come spurting onto his chest, as well as the euphoric rush that swelled across their bond. Daniel pounded up into Armand, the tight walls of his ass attempting to drain the come from Daniel's cock. On the third long, luxurious pull of Armand's blood, Daniel was coming inside of his maker.
Armand wrenched Daniel back from his neck and crashed their mouths together, tasting his own blood on Daniel's tongue. They writhed into each other, the aftershocks of their orgasms subsiding slowly.
After they had finally risen from their coffin, many long, euphoric moments later, they cleaned themselves of the blood covering nearly every surface of their bodies. Armand settled on the ledge of their bedroom window. It was technically Daniel's bedroom, as this was his apartment, but fuck it. It was their bedroom now.
Armand gazed out into the night, eyes gliding over each building. The grid had gone down last week and it left the entirety of New York City in darkness.
"Did you mean that?" Daniel asked as he sidled up next to Armand.
Armand turned, meeting Daniel's eyes. "Mean what?"
Daniel bit his lip and shrugged, feigning disinterest, though he knew Armand could see through it.
"What you said about it being worth it." He looked away, pretending to find something more interesting on the street below them. "About me… being worth it."
For a moment, there was silence, so quiet it was easy to hear the shouting and cries from the world outside. Then, just as suddenly, the world ceased, leaving only the two of them.
"Daniel." Armand's fingers caught Daniel's chin and Daniel brought his attention back to the vampire in front of him. "I have spent centuries wondering what I was living for. I have suffered at the hands of many and I have made others suffer in return. I believed I lived to undergo punishment for my transgressions. I did not think there was love meant for me, no love that I was deserving of."
Daniel reached up to grasp Armand's hand in his own and held it to his chest. Armand closed his eyes as a smile spread across his lips, the gentle gesture causing bloody tears to gather on his lashes.
"You are what I was living for, beloved." He whispered, voice watery. A sad, weary feeling drifted through Daniel, rippling across their bond. "And you are worth every unending horror I have been through." With a steadying breath, Armand returned his gaze to Daniel. "Yes, I meant it."
Daniel pressed his lips to the single tear drifting down Armand's cheek. He squeezed the slender hand he held.
A scream pierced through the pitch darkness outside of the window, announcing the return of the world around them. Armand turned and listened to the havoc happening below their feet. Chaos was raging through the city, like it was raging through most cities. Lestat's concert had been the catalyst for the ending of the world as they knew it. Somehow, Daniel couldn't bring himself to care much about it. Sure, he was worried - for his daughters, for himself, for Armand - but the world had been a pretty shitty place. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a re-do.
"For the record," Daniel sat down on the window ledge beside Armand. He twined their fingers together. "You're worth it, too." Armand didn't look away from the night displayed before them, but Daniel could feel the relaxed warmth spread from Armand into him.
Armand was worth all of the fucked up shit Daniel had been through, and he was worth all of the fucked up shit they would go through in the future. Only this time, they'd go through it together.